IT department of North East Region deputes additional 116 officers for LS polls

The Principal Chief Commissioner of Income Tax, North East Region (NER) Kavita Jha on Tuesday deputed additional manpower of 116 officers and Inspectors of Income Tax Department to the Directorate of Income Tax (Investigation), for the duration of forthcoming Lok Sabha elections.

Early on Tuesday morning, the investigation wing of NER issued deployment orders of 157 officials who will spread out over Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland and Tripura to monitor election expenditure and flow of black money across 112 districts.

Chief Electoral Officers (CEOs) of seven states of North East have been officially intimated about the deployment. This deployment is under directions of Election Commission of India (ECI) to Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) in a bid to throttle flow of black money to influence elections since black money vitiates the purity of election process, according to ECI.

The Investigation Directorate teams will monitor the movement of large sums of cash or other items suspected to be used for bribing of electors and on the basis of information or complaint, will conduct an independent inquiry against any person indulging in such acts.

Moreover, they will also verify affidavits declaring assets and liabilities filed by the candidates before ECI and election expenses by any candidate or political party. Investigation Directorate will also report to the Commission about the political parties which are taking donations in the poll-bound states without filing the statutory returns.

The directorate has also activated Air Intelligence Units at all airports in North East and will monitor the movement of cash or valuables. State authorities and police are also required to report movement of any suspicious cash to the I-T authorities.

Investigation Directorate authorities can enter and search any building, place, vessel or aircraft if it is suspected that any unaccounted money, bullion, jewellery or other valuable article or thing is to be found there and seize the same under section 132 of Income Tax Act.

Election Commission of India (ECI) on Sunday announced the schedule for the 17th Lok Sabha election, which will be held in seven phases beginning April 11. The final phase of voting will take place on May 19. The counting of votes will be done on May 23.